We can choose how we want to live our lives, but our eternity will be determined by how we chose to live our life. It is a beautiful thing to step into the life that God has for us! Glorifying God, being filled with His joy, and loving people is the greatest life any of us can experience. We can do everything for the glory of God. "Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Cor. 10:31) And God is wanting to get behind what we do! John 15:7-8 says “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.” God gets glorified when you bear much fruit! When you receive the Father’s provision, your life is blessed and people see it on you - and that brings glory to the Father!
What is Our Purpose?
Part 2
Jesus came to reconcile us to the Father. After we are reconciled to Him, we are transformed in our thinking according to His Word. We are reconciled once and for all, but the transformation and duplication processes are continuous. Our first and number one purpose is to glorify God. Isa 43:7 says that God created you for His glory! One of the primary ways God has for us to bring glory to Him is by being filled with His joy - not artificial happiness, because, when we are filled with His joy, it becomes the number one attraction to the people of the world - giving us opportunities to love them. And this exactly how we step into an abundant life...by choosing to live for and love others! Success is when you add value to yourself. Significance is when you add value to others. When you live a life of significance, you realize "oh my gosh, THAT'S living!"
Part 3
God created you to know and enjoy Him! "Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent." (Jn 17:3) In God's presence is fullness of joy - and at His right hand are pleasures for evermore! (Ps 16:11) Everything you want is in the presence of God! Allowing God to bless you is key to being pleasing to Him! Without faith it is impossible to please God. (Heb 11:6) He wants to glorify us so that we can glorify Him! "Arise, shine; for your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you." (Isa 60:1) We are blessed in order to be a blessing. His blessing in our lives makes us a blessing in the lives of others and brings glory to Him! You have a purpose. You have a destiny - and it's beyond marvelous in God!
Part 4
We cannot determine our own purpose - because we did not make ourselves. There is only one way to find out our purpose - and that is to read the owner's manual! When we base our lives on God's Word, we get into agreement with our Creator. His blessings flow when we get into agreement with Him! Everything God does is good, right, and perfect. If we think He is bad, we don't understand Him. Romans 8:28 tells us that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose! Our first purpose is to know and enjoy God. Our second is to glorify Him. How do we glorify God? By fearing Him, trusting Him, and obeying Him. The purpose of man is to reflect God in the Earth! As we look into the mirror of His Word, we will look more and more like God - from glory to glory!
Part 5: Finding Your Niche
As members of the body of Christ, we are all called according to the same purpose (Rom. 8:28), but we are all called to express that purpose somewhat differently. You are fearfully and wonderfully made and God wants your soul to know that well (Ps. 139:14). When we realize the purposes of God for our lives in the general sense, we are invited into a process of exploring with Our Father what the expression of His purposes can look like through us. "God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. And if they were all one member, where would the body be?" (1 Cor. 12:18-19) Each of us is called to express a slightly different facet of the brilliance of God to the world. Ask the Holy Spirit how He wants to show Himself strong through you. Create space (i.e. prepare) to do something new, and be responsive to His lead. There are territories in the Kingdom of God with your name on them. God has called you according to His purpose. Will you follow Him into your calling?
Part 6: Ask What You Desire
Since you did not make yourself, you cannot tell yourself what your purpose is. If we seek out His purposes for us and then walk according to those purposes, then and only then will we find true fulfillment. According to Jesus, the number one reason He came was to reveal the Father - to glorify the Father. Jesus understood that the only way He could glorify (reveal) the Father was to allow the Father to glorify Him. (Jn 17:1) Yet, we have a mindset in the Body of Christ (as a whole) that God is interested in our needs but not in our wants. Jn 15:7-8 speaks differently: "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples." When we don't ask Him what we desire, we are actually stealing an opportunity for God to be glorified.